Dewalt came out with something new for the 2021 winter holiday shopping season – a ToughCase+ utility knife blade holder and blade refill packs.
This seemed like a neat idea, although not without its flaws. The promo set came with one case and 3 refill inserts, each filled with 30 “double hardened” utility knife blades.
It’s now mid-2022, and Dewalt is expanding upon the concept with other styles of blades.
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Shown here is the new Dewalt DWHT11131C ToughCase+ Carbide blade pack. It comes with a clear lid ToughCase+ case that’s preloaded with a 30-blade refill.
I’m a fan of Dewalt ToughCase+ bit boxes, and a huge fan of their Carbide Edge utility knife blades. But when combined, the result misses the mark by a bit.
See Also: The Best Utility Knife Blade: Dewalt Carbide Edge
These are the same mini cases as Dewalt bit boxes, and are sized to fit inside their other ToughCase+ organizers.
In theory, this is a great idea. In practice, I strongly prefer traditional utility knife blade dispensers. Maybe this is still a good idea, just not for me.
I have been slow to use the 90-blade promo back I purchased back in November. It comes with one ToughCase+ container and 3 refills. Where do the spare refills go? I suppose I could empty out some other Dewalt bit boxes to create two other pocket packs.
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I wish the case was a little more streamlined, but its geometry allows it to fit inside Dewalt’s ToughCase drill bit and screwdriver bit cases and other compatible organizers.
Where do dull blades go?
With typical utility knife blade packages, fresh blades are dispensed out of the bottom, and there’s a slot at the top for dull and spent blades to be inserted for safe storage until disposal. A divider separates the two compartments.
The ToughCase+ blade box does not have any separate blade disposal compartment.
I can see how this could be convenient for certain users. But, I always need to have a place to safely dispose of dull blades, and that means traditional blade dispensers continue to work best for me.
It’s been nearly 6 months since I bought the holiday season promo pack, and so far refills are nowhere to be found. Dewalt’s online listing for the Carbide Edge refill pack makes me optimistic, but where will it be sold?
As an aside, Dewalt recently updated their blade dispenser packaging, making them easier to identify and differentiate on the shelf. I like this, and they also have new bar graphs for comparing tip strength, wear resistance, and life for different types of blades.
To be fair, this does seem like a good way to store up to 30 replacement blades in a compact package. And as mentioned, I think it could be convenient for certain users. I wanted to like the ToughCase utility blade packs, but it’s unlikely that I’ll buy it again.
I do have some ideas on how to increase the usefulness of the ToughCase+ case and blade refills, such as securing two cases together back-to-back, but that still doesn’t seem as convenient as a traditional blade dispenser pack.
Is this something you would buy and use?
Munklepunk
I use these little cases to hold my utility knife blades. I don’t have the kit. I just throw the bad ones into the trash because the recycler won’t except then since they are sharp. I keep all the spares at home because they hold a lot. I got a lot of blades on sale when ace was an in store promo. In set for awhile.
Abner Diaz
I got these when they were on sale for the winter season, and they are pretty good at doing their job. The only thing i dont like is that the oil used to prevent rust on the blades makes them stick together and its kind of difficult to take them out. Sometimes the entire stack of blades gets pulled up and i have to manually put them back in, which is a HUGE cut hazard. But otherwise, i like them, because its more compact than other holders. And as far as placement of the old blades, im used to just throwing them away.
Roger
These things are cute and all. Especially the little divider bar that comes with the bitholder and bits variation. Some don’t have any slots for this. I think they should create another version that can use a second divider bar. I use these to fit 23g pin nails. It’s nice they give you a reason to use the empty ones that people, more than likely, already have. Toughcases are nice with all the various drop-ins.
HOWEVER, DeWalt needs to concentrate more on the Toughsystem and Tstak. The TS garage system is a gem they are sorely neglecting.
Franck B.
That’s a great idea, I was just looking for a way to store pin nails for my nailer that I keep in a Tstak box, and didn’t like the half-empty clamshells flying around in the box, then opening and spilling them all over (and breaking the collation). I was going to make a space in the foam but different companies all use different size packaging, or one company will constantly change theirs (e.g. Dewalt).
I never saw the blade sets in TC+ packaging, I usually look for the replacement blade deals during the holidays too.
Finally, I must work only with people lacking cognitive skills, or those that don’t have organizational skills so they don’t have much time. Because no one I’ve ever seen puts the old blades back in the top of the packages. Most of the people I see bust out the bottom to get the blades out because sliding one out is extremely fiddly work for someone wearing gloves or who is just relatively hamfisted. Most people need 3-4 blades at once to replenish their knives, so the single dispenser seems to be at odds with most people’s needs. At least the Milwaukee packs seem to be focus group tested with some real users, because their swing-out dispenser does seem to get traction amongst the contractor crowd. I prefer the Dewalt blades though, they seem to stay sharper and break less.
Yeti
Junk
Albert
The case looks nice. I have the non-carbide Stanley version shown in the last picture. Also Made in USA. I’m about half way through. When they are all used up, I will get rid of all my holders (both sliding and folding) and switch entirely to Olfa. In my opinion, those snap-off Made in Japan blades are night and day better.
Jim Felt
Exactly my thoughts and work pattern. Though I now only buy packs of the new-ish black replacement blades. They last longer and maybe are sharper as well.
Richard Schneeman
I just moved into new construction and I’ve picked up and thrown away a half dozen rusty razor blades from contractors. I get that it’s convenient to toss them wherever. I would like to not have my kids playing with rusty razors though.
I like the one in one out system then there’s no excuse for bad disposal.
Jim Felt
I’ve been blessed with more conscientious contractors and subs over the decades. They habitually clean up their work debris at the end of each work day. And I’ve barely ever found staples let alone blades.
fred
We liked the Tajima brand – and their blades come in the older style dispensers – but with a swing-out door at the bottom:
https://www.amazon.com/Tajima-VRB2-100B-Premium-Tempered-100-Pack/dp/B00NY8R9OU/
Blade disposal can be a problem – especially on larger jobsites where they seem to get tossed willy nilly. The problem sort of reminds me of renovating old houses where medicine cabinets had a side slot for disposing of old razor blades. Years of old blades would sometimes work their way down through the walls – sometimes to the basement (especially in balloon-framed houses) posing an unexpected cut hazard.
Gregg
I was using the bit holders for this very same thing. Mine were loose blades but none the less it was compact and easy to access. I actually contacted them I told them last year the bit holders make great blade holders as well.
Dcl
Those old school dispensers are the fruit of the devil. After a while they get packed with saw dust, drywall dust, etc. Then the whole thing binds up and you eventually have to use so much force it explodes and the remaining blades go flying every where. Then for the rest of the job you are working off a pile of razor blades that you throw in a corner or something. I’ve never seen anyone on a job site ever put the used blades back in the top, they are always just left of the floor.
Jared
The used ones can go back in the top? Egg on my face. I need to go look and the dispensers in my shop. I just fold some duct tape over the edge before I dispose of them.
I don’t mind the idea – but if I’m honest I probably wouldn’t spend any extra for something.like this. For the most part I just buy blades when I spot a deal.
Jim Felt
I do the tape thing too. Especially as I use heavy trash bag liners in every waste container. But not with Olfa. I use their separate spent blade holders/containers. They’re just too cool not to use. But I’m referring to workbench (and hobby sites) not job sites.
Ren
Hultafors blades (10 at a time) come in dispenser
Jerry
I like the idea behind this. It accommodates two blade holders, so one can hold new blades, and the other can hold used. My utility knives hold like 5 blades so while I throw away blades one at a time I refill 4-5 at a time. Having a secure place for used blades so they can’t do any harm would almost be worth it (to me) just for that, and they could all be disposed of together by just wrapping the full blade holder with a couple layers of duct tape.
Julian Tracy
I find the little case very handy to keep 10-15 backup blades in my jobsite toolkit, for those just in case times when your blade’s internal storage runs out. I have no reason whatsoever to store these in a larger tough case – mixing blades and bits feels a bit odd to me I guess. My main complaint with this setup though, is the two spare inserts should’ve have a sacrificial “break-off” plastic tab to secure the spare blades in those until you are ready to drop it into the small yellow blade case. As it is – the extra blades are near flush with the open top and fall out very easily while those in are in a tool drawer waiting to be used.
And count me into the group that had no idea the traditional blade dispensers were designed to accept old blades lol.
MIKE GUENTHER
I have several of the traditional blade dispensers and the problem I have with them is after the dispenser rolls around in the bottom of a tool bag or tool box for a while, the new blades “fall over” inside the dispenser and then you have to pry the cover off to straighten them out. They do work good if mounted on the wall, but the blades are still a PITA to slide out when needed.
Nathan
I don’t go through a fraction of that many and I love my olfa cutter at the moment.
In the hangar they are verboten so never really was around many of those. I agree with the sentiment that the casing seems unuseable for the blades and the other case shows with the dispenser idea makes the most sense. safer – smaller storage – easy to tuck into a case/bag etc.
Now if that blade holder in the base let you slide them out to the side or such or it flipped up on edge so you could pick it up by the back – might help.
Koko The Talking Ape
The blades are meh but I love the little container! They don’t sell them separately, do they?
Stuart
Unfortunately, they don’t. Holiday season promo sets are usually a good time to buy them.
Koko The Talking Ape
Thanks, Stuart!
B_B
I for once wish they sold the yellow cases on their own. They are really useful, but I don’t go through that many blades, or bits.
JoeM
*Shrug* I like them, but I already have so many blades for my knife that buying one of those would mean I don’t get around to using the first one until I’m… I dunno… 90? Maybe if I passed it down to a relative, they’d use it? Plenty of my adoptive siblings have children… once they hit teenage-years, I’ll probably be old enough to start putting them, responsibly, in a will to take my tools when I’m gone.
Not trying to bum anyone out with that thought, I’m sorry. I just mean, when I got my DeWALT DWHT100035, the original folding retractable… I also bought a bunch of different types of blades to see what I would use most… Standard, Carbide, Scaloped/Serrated, Hooked… Even went and tried a pack of Lee Valley Graphite Blades for marking lines like a pencil… Huge mistake there… Super fragile blades, bad, bad idea. My point here is… I also have Leatherman tools with knives, and I have a whole EDC system with various package openers, scissors, and the like… It’s going to take me forever to genuinely “use up” all the blades from my initial purchases. I will say that I like the design of the pack, and the box. But 2 out of the many sets came with even better single-blade dispenser packs that I prefer for safety. I’m a natural klutz, so they reduce the chance of red fluid being found all over the work area, if you know what I mean.